Monday, July 12, 2010

The other day I was talking to a lawyer marketing guy. He sells blogs. He told me he gets calls from new bloggers: "I've been blogging for 3 months and I don't have a single new client from the blog." His response: "get out and meet some people."

I scan the internet and see lawyers typing "how to get rich as a lawyer" on the hour on Google.

I see former lawyers parading as coaches - their practices having failed, they're ready to tell you how to be successful. Some of them practiced for a fleeting moment, and were never hired by a client. I see former lawyers trying to claim star status trying to convince you that Apple's newest device is the key to your future.

Here, today, for free, I give you the best marketing tool for lawyers.

Here it is.

Ready?

The lawyer. You, the lawyer, and other lawyers.

So while you're typing your brains out, and buying every new gadget that the online world cheers about, answer these questions. When you are done, you can let me know that I am wrong, that it is really all about blogs and toys, or start thinking about getting the hell away from technology for a while and trying a little human interaction for a bit.

1. How many lawyers do you know?

2. When is the last time you had a conversation with a lawyer about your practice?

3. When is the last time another lawyer referred you a client?

4. At what point did you start to think that typing blog posts and playing with the iPad was the answer to building your practice?

5. When is the last time you sponsored an event?

6. When is the last time you went to an event?

7. When is the last time you spoke to a group of lawyers? Real lawyers, discussing real things - like law, not battery life and phone reception?

8. Under what theory did you think you would get great clients, with good cases by writing blog posts? (Hint: Clients hire lawyers, not blog posts).

9. Who are you and what relevance do you have in your legal community? Are you known for something important that a client would need, or do you just know how to scan a document in a parking lot of a Starbucks?

10. Who was it that convinced you that all it takes is a computer and some SEO work, and what relevance does that person have in the legal community?

11. When did you take yourself out of the mix?

Located in Miami, Florida, Brian Tannebaum practices Bar Admission and Discipline and Criminal Defense. He is the author of I Got A Bar Complaint.